Glensheen Historic Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chester and Clara Congdon Estate
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A view of Glensheen from the lake side.
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3300 London Rd. Duluth, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1905–08 |
| Architect | Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.; Charles W. Leavitt, Jr. |
| Architectural style | Jacobean Revival |
| Website | https://glensheen.org/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001057 |
| Added to NRHP | August 15, 1991 |
Glensheen, the Historic Congdon Estate is a giant mansion in Duluth, Minnesota. Today, it is a historic house museum run by the University of Minnesota Duluth. The huge house sits on 12 acres of land right on the shore of Lake Superior.
The mansion was built between 1905 and 1908 for a wealthy lawyer and businessman named Chester Adgate Congdon and his family. It cost $854,000 to build, which would be like spending over $22 million today! The house is a fantastic example of the beautiful design and building skills of the early 1900s.
Contents
Exploring the Glensheen Mansion
Glensheen is a massive home, with a size of 20,000 square feet and a total of 39 rooms. The design is in the Jacobean style, which was inspired by grand English country houses from the 1600s. It also includes ideas from the popular Beaux-Arts style of the time, known for its impressive and decorative look.
The famous Minnesota architect Clarence H. Johnston Sr. designed the building. The beautiful gardens and landscapes were planned by the Charles W. Leavitt firm from New York.
Inside the Historic Home
The inside of Glensheen is just as amazing as the outside. Each room has its own unique style, including Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau. The furniture was specially designed to match the style of each room.
The rooms feature beautiful woodwork made from different types of trees. You can find rooms with Circassian walnut, mahogany, and fumed oak. The furniture in each room is made from the same wood as the walls, creating a perfectly matched look. Amazingly, most of the original furniture from 1908 is still in the exact same spot today.
Many of the original wall coverings, made of materials like silk and gold leaf, are also still there. The doors are cleverly made with two kinds of wood. One side matches the hallway, and the other side matches the room it opens into.
Art and Other Buildings
Chester Congdon loved art, and his collection is still on display in the home. The collection includes paintings by American artists like Charles Warren Eaton, Childe Hassam, and Henry Ward Ranger. There is also a beautiful silk embroidery of a famous waterfall in Japan.
Besides the main mansion, the estate includes a Carriage House, a Gardener's Cottage, and a Boathouse right on Lake Superior.
History of the Estate
The Congdon family lived at Glensheen for many years. In 1968, the family gave the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth. Chester Congdon's youngest daughter, Elisabeth, was allowed to live in the home for the rest of her life.
After Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, passed away in 1977, the mansion was prepared to open to the public. In 1979, Glensheen officially opened its doors as a museum for everyone to visit and enjoy.
For a long time, visitors could not see the third floor or the attic. In 1992, these areas were finally opened for special small group tours. Because of its historical importance, the Glensheen estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
See also
In Spanish: Glensheen (mansión) para niños
